Whether it’s eating seafood by the beach or hiking in the mountains, summer traditions are inseparable from nature. Meanwhile, nearly every summer tradition has an unsustainable habit attached to nature. Unrestricted hiking in the mountains can lead to damaged alpine ecosystems while summer barbeques can lead to massive amounts of waste and environmentally impactful diets. This summer, whether in the city or at the beach, take these tips to ensure a more sustainable relationship with nature.

First and foremost, ditch single-use plastics or disposable plastics. The summer staples—sweet tea, barbeques and trips to get ice cream—are all perpetuating America’s addiction to single-use plastics. Polystyrene, a common form of single-use non-recyclable plastics can be found in Solo cups and in the Styrofoam cups that ice cream is often served in. These cups end up in landfills where they last for thousands of years or choke wildlife in the oceans.

Students have many alternatives that do not require ditching their summer traditions to resolve this environmental crisis. Biodegradable and reusable cups are an easy answer to less waste. Individual consumers can remember to bring their reusable cups with them to get coffee, and cafès and ice cream stands can serve their foods using these alternatives.

Using one reusable cup is akin to taking a disposable one out of demand, and in turn, out of the landfill. Some companies including Starbucks give discounts to those who bring their reusable cups which incentivizes the practice even more.

Secondly, students should eat sustainably. Both food waste and production can be sources of environmental pollution. Discarded fishing gear makes up 46% of the waste found in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, while the cattle industry results in some of the highest greenhouse gas emissions of any sector of the world economy. Some of the notable favorite summer foods have unsustainable side effects that can be mitigated if the right choices are made.

Summertime gives students the opportunity to eat more sustainably than in other seasons. Summer barbecues can be reimagined by lessening the amount of meat consumed. Students should buy food from vendors that support local communities, like using Syracuse Cooperative Market instead of factory farms or buying local seafood to support local sustainable fisheries.

Lastly, students can mitigate their own environmental footprint when outdoors. Unsustainable recreation can lead to serious environmental degradation. Treading lightly while outdoors is necessary to foster a healthy relationship with nature. This means practicing steps that reduce environmental harm. The Leave-No-Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics refers to seven principles that help to recreate responsibly, ranging from the proper disposal of waste to respecting wildlife. Becoming familiar with the center’s principles can help students become more aware of how they impact the environment while outdoors.

Students do not need to sacrifice summer traditions to create a more sustainable world. Being mindful of the negative environmental impact of summer traditions will help students take steps to reduce their environmental footprint.

Harrison Vogt is a junior environment sustainability policy and communication and rhetorical studies dual major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at hevogt@syr.edu. He can be followed on Twitter at @VogtHarrison.

Published on May 15, 2022 at 7:37 pm